A principal resume should demonstrate that the person it represents has the skills and experience to lead a school. It should be engaging and to the point. Ensuring conciseness when writing a resume is paramount. This is because hiring managers do not spend much time perusing an application to find what they want. If they cannot quickly see information that proves you have what it takes, they move to the next application. So, creating an outstanding resume that should your qualifications, skills, and experience is not optional if you are serious about landing your dream job.
In this article, you will learn how to do exactly that. In particular, the article has two principal resume examples to help you understand how to create a CV that wins interviews. Feel free to use these examples and customize them to suit your specific expertise and experience.
Principal Job Description
Every school seeks a competent and experienced principal who can wear many hats. That is because a principal performs diverse roles. These include managing administrators and teachers, implementing academic goals, developing curriculum, and overseeing the school budget. A school principal also supervises various activities and operations, meets parents, and manages security. Principals also assess teaching and learning and at the same time handle different student problems. If you are looking for a school principal job, your resume should show that you can perform these and other related roles.
Position Description
A school principal supervises and manages learning processes and other school operations. Most principals have years of experience in teaching. That means they have a solid grounding in different aspects of education and training. With a skill-set of teaching and administration abilities, a principal engages in strategic planning. In addition, this role involves performance evaluation, addressing educational issues, advising and counseling students, and creating a culture that fosters academic excellence. Therefore, employers look to hire a skilled and experienced principal who can perform this role effectively and as expected.
Roles and Responsibilities Of A Principal
- Assess teachers and other staff to ensure the prescribed curriculum is followed and to pinpoint areas that need improvement.
- Enforce school regulations such as attendance and dressing policy, and discipline students following school policy.
- Work together to offer each student the finest education possible and to support them in achieving their academic and career goals.
- Maintain a current curriculum that reflects the chosen educational system
- Create a strong team by taking part in the hiring, training, and other employment operations for instructors and other staff members.
- Provide students with behavioral change forums and offer guidance on their academic and career goals.
- Uphold a positive and healthy environment for learning
- Maintain the best academic programs, organize programs for professional development for the staff and encourage educators to participate in conferences.
- Discipline students and teachers and dismiss those who show no effort to improve
Required Knowledge and Skills
- Strong communication skills
- Passion for education
- School leadership and management skills
- Strategic thinking and planning
- Problem-solving and conflict resolution
Education and Experience
- A master’s degree in education.
- Experience as a school principal or in a senior role in school supervision and administration.
Salary
A senior school principal earns an average salary of $156,139 per year while a principal gets $87,757 annually, according to indeed.com. Moreover, an assistant principal takes home an average salary of $74,362 per annum.
Principal CV Example 1
Liam Joseph
Address: New York City, United States
Email address: josliam@gmail.com
Phone number: (684) 326-9841
Personal Profile
A seasoned principal with over nine years of experience in school leadership and administration. Skilled in handling instructor and student matters, disciplining students, and resolving conflicts and problems. Proficient at managing developing positive and good behavior among students, and managing people and academic programs. A hardworking, self-driven, and friendly principal seeking to inspire students and staff to perform their best in teaching and learning.
Work Experience
Principal, Eleanor High School, NYC, United States
9/2019 – 10/2022
- Arranged and coordinated meetings with instructors to discuss best practices for handling students, teaching schedules, and academic performance
- Collaborated with the school accountant to create an all-inclusive budget for the school. Ensured to prioritize issues and areas to ensure normal operations
- Approved admission applications from prospective students and rejected those that didn’t meet the admission criteria
- Reviewed discipline rules, implemented them, and took disciplinary action against everyone who persistently violated school rules and regulations
- Organized talks and counseling sessions and invited professional counselors to mentor and advice students. These efforts promoted good behavior among students
- Communicated with teachers, students, and parents every time the school board approached changes that were of concern to them such as student fees and new infrastructure
- Attended industry-related seminars and conferences to learn more from those who were performing better. Implemented proven practices and realized better academic performance
- Explored ways to enhance efficiency in the delivery of instructions and quality across different department
- Maintained a healthy and supportive learning environment
- Made appropriate decisions concerning the hiring of teachers and dismissal of staff who failed consistently to achieve their target and follow set guidelines
Principal, Emma High School, New York, United States
7/2016 – 8/2019
- Supervised teaching and learning at the school and ensured staff complied with the set schedules and timetables, and lesson plans
- Maintained a high level of discipline and morale among students by creating awareness of student rights and responsibilities and punishing wrongdoers
- Evaluated the academic performance of students and the effectiveness of teachers, administration staff, and programs
- Met with parents from time to time to communicate about the school performance and collect feedback including noting their issues and areas of concerns
- Resolved staff and student problems by finding out the root causes of problems and coming up with the best and lasting solutions
- Organized forums to interact with students of different classes in a comprehensive manner. Encouraged them to uphold discipline, work hard, and perform their best
- Negotiated with suppliers of different items such as food products and various school resources and obtained the best prices that helped to save cost.
- Maintained good relations with teachers and other staff, enabling them to report issues or anomalies on time. That helped to take action before issues escalate
- Implemented the changes in procedure and policy as implemented by the school board and the government
- Provide excellent curricular and instructional leadership by developing appropriate programs and supporting teachers effectively to realize desired outcomes
Assistant Principal, The Calhoun School, Yonkers, NY
5/2013 – 7/2016
- Facilitated in-service professional development and training for teachers and administration staff, enhancing the way they offer services
- Developed a master schedule for instructors and other staff. Led its implementation, which helped to use and share available resources effectively
- Supported teachers effectively with resources to perform their teaching duties effectively
- Hired qualified professionals to repair and renovate school buildings such as offices and classes.
- Provided general supervision to learners and ensured they follow the set rules and regulations
- Directed teachers to effectively address student needs and intervened with necessary support where necessary
- Developed disciplinary rules and procedures and enforced those rules to foster good behavior among students
- Advised the school principal on various matters when called upon. Ensured to help the principal make the best decisions about teaching staff, students, and school administration
- Participated in recruiting new staff including interviewing them and analyzing the suitability of possible candidates for the vacant positions
Education
- 1/2011 – 11/2012, MSc in Educational Leadership, New York University, New York
- 2/2008 – 12/2010, Bachelor of Arts in Education, CUNY City College
- 1/2004 – 11/2007, High School Diploma, West End Secondary School
Certificates
- 9/2014, Certificate in Advanced Education Leadership (CAEL), Harvard Business School
Skills
Computer Skills
- Hands-on experience with MS Word, Excell, and PowerPoint
- Schoology learning system
Language
- English
Other skills
- Crisis management
- Ability to mentor and inspire
- Leadership and people management
- Attention to detail
- Great communication and presentation skills
Principal CV Example 2
Sophie Rowan
Address: Munster, Ireland
Email address: rowansophie@gmail.com
Phone number: 8547 658-247
Personal Profile
Experienced and passionate principal with more than nine years of experience. Committed to achieving excellence in school administration and academic performance. This is by working to promote the social, emotional, spiritual, intellectual, physical, and intellectual needs of learners. Ardent in the supervision of school educational programs and maintaining a high level of discipline among students and teachers. An expert communicator, leader, and problem solver who thrives in leading by example. Effective and well-organized principal with a positive attitude and skilled in working with a team to enhance learning in the school environment.
Work Experience
Principal, Midleton Secondary School, Munster, Ireland
8/2017 – 11/2020
- Collaborated with other instructors and administrators to establish new curriculum guidelines in the school and ensured teachers adhered to them
- Reviewed the school budget, determined and prioritized allocations for different items such as staff, learning materials, food, equipment, and other supplies
- Disciplined students caught with various offenses. Ensured to follow school policy when disciplining students or dismissing those who could not reform
- Participated in recruiting teachers and staff members. Organized their training to acquaint them with school procedures. This made helped them to get started quickly with their duties
- Supervised instructors to ensure they follow the curriculum and school academic policies. Ensured to support teachers effectively to implement the curriculum
- Developed benchmarks for assessing educational success and established several measures to track attainment of the set goals and objectives
- Ensured to provide teachers with all the instructional tools and resources they needed to help maximize their potential in teaching
- Met administrators and parents regularly to obtain feedback and receive issues that were of concern to them. Made effort to develop effective solutions to those issues
- Ensured to provide and maintain an environment where both teachers and students maximized their potential to achieve the best they could
Principal, Gort Community School, Connaught, Ireland
2/2014 – 4/2017
- Led teachers and other staff in establishing a culture centered on student learning. This helped to improve the overall academic performance of the school
- Standardized the enrollment process, thereby eliminating double standards when it comes to benchmarks for admission and requirements for joining different classes
- Organized training and counseling meetings and invited professional counselors to advise and counsel students to embrace positive behavior. As a result, students’ behavior changed for the better
- Collaborated with stakeholders such as teachers, students, and parents in redesigning different schooling aspects such as tuition and discipline structure
- Addressed different educational issues at the school and applied the best and proven practices to implement lasting solutions
- Assessed teachers and other members of staff to assure they were implementing the new, standard curriculum while identifying areas that needed improvement
- Worked with teachers and other stakeholders in offering the best education to help students achieve their progress and academic goals and targets
- Offered guidance and counseling to students in all levels of secondary school education and provided resources like books to assist students with behavior modification
- Enforced rules on class attendance, dressing, cleaning, and punctuality. Disciplined wrongdoers based on the school policy.
Deputy Principal, Abbey Vocational School, County Donegal, Ireland
2/2010 – 12/2013
- Encouraged instructors and staff to emphasize students’ academic success and superior instruction. Developing this culture led to improved performance.
- In the absence of the principal, I assumed and effectively performed the role of a senior school administrator.
- Navigated challenges relating to curriculum revision and internet connectivity to ensure students had the support they needed.
- Assisted, advised, and counseled students to help them advance to their post-secondary objectives.
- Planned and ensured the school gives access to extensive resources on all subjects to help students read, revise, and prepare for examinations.
- Successfully chaired various teachers’ meetings and led discussions that helped to come up with solutions to different issues such as poor performance and loss of property to theft
- Trained teachers on new teaching guidelines from the education ministry and the best ways to handle students, particularly those with different learning challenges
- Advised the principal on different occasions, helping him to make wise decisions on different matters such as increasing student enrollment, expansion of classes, and enhancing teaching.
Education
- 1/2008 – 11/2009, Master of Arts: Education Administration – National University of Ireland Galway
- 2/2005 – 10/2007, B.Sc. Education and Training – Dublin City University
- 1/2001 – 11/2004, Leaving Certificate – Laurel Hill Secondary School
Certificates
- 7/2013, Supervisor of Instruction Certification – Dublin Business School
Skills
Language
- Irish
- English
Computer Skills
- Proficient in using the internet
- Microsoft Office Word and Excel
Other skills
- Excellent communication and time management skills
- Problem-solving
- Decision-making and detail-oriented
- Strong leadership skills
- Instructor and student development
Principal Resume Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What Skills Should A Principal Have?
School principals lead schools toward providing the best education to learners. They manage all aspects of school operations, from routine emergencies to unforeseen circumstances. It’s not a simple job, and to manage all the responsibilities successfully, one needs to possess several skills. The most important skills are effective leadership and management, strong communication, decision-making, problem-solving, and prioritizing skills. A principal should be visionary, a risk manager, empathetic, and innovative.
2. How Do You Make Your Principal Resume Scannable?
Recruiters sort through dozens of resumes. They have no time to sit and consider a resume at length before moving on. For this reason, you should make your resume easily scannable. Doing that will make it quick and easy for hiring managers to spot your resume and find the relevant information they are looking for. One way to make a resume scannable is to use bullet points. Bullets make your job history and the entire resume easy to read. Additionally, use strong language and add action words to your sentences to make them stand out. Also, make a good and lasting impression using words that express your accomplishments clearly.
3. Why Is It Important To Create A Stellar Personal Profile In A Resume?
You already have some teaching experience if you wish to become a principal. A concise and appealing personal profile gives the hiring manager an overview of that experience. It shows your most noteworthy accomplishments, qualities, and abilities. Hiring managers use this section to quickly learn more about your biggest accomplishments, career goals, interests, and more. So, take time to create a personal profile that compels recruiters to read more about yourself from other sections.
4. What Are The Key Elements Of A Principal Resume?
The four main elements that your principal resume should have are a personal profile, work experience, skills, and education. The personal profile section should feature your key achievements, abilities, and qualities. Under skills, list your key competencies that tie in closely with what the employer is asking for in the job description. Then, list your most recent work experience and what you achieved during your tenure. The education section should have relevant qualifications.
5. Is It A Must To List Work History In A Reverse Chronological Order?
While it is not a must, the reverse chronological style is the most common. In addition, most hiring managers and potential employers are used to this order. So, you should use the reverse chronological format in your principal resume. It helps to package your work history by date, beginning with the most recent. If you have several years of consistent work experience, this format helps recruiters to know your most recent work engagements. If you have a solid work experience in one field, this resume format shows potential employers that you have the experience and skills they may be seeking.
